The Lenawee County Probate & Juvenile Court on record ordered that reunification efforts for an 18‑year‑old referred to in court as Britney be discontinued and directed the child‑welfare agency to focus on pursuing an adult developmental‑disability guardianship and securing ongoing residential supports.

Court documents and testimony show Britney currently resides at a treatment program operated through Wedgwood in the Grand Rapids area and told a clinician she prefers to remain there. “She just preferred to go to school. She did not want to attend court,” said Stephanie Pardo Juarez, clinician for Britney at Wedgwood. At a review hearing the court admitted the department's January court report and scheduled the next review for May 6 at 9 a.m.

The move away from reunification reflects findings that staff have not been able to secure the psychological evaluation required to file a guardianship petition and that no viable guardian within the family has been identified. Keelan Young, a caseworker with the Department of Health and Human Services, told the court the agency has been making “diligent efforts” to secure the evaluation and locate placement alternatives, and that Pine Rest (Grand Rapids) and other out‑of‑county providers have been contacted for availability.

“Her preference is she would like to stay where she's at,” said Michael McFarland, the attorney appointed to represent Britney's interests, summarizing a meeting with her. Court counsel for the department, Tasha Thomas, asked the court to “alleviate us from the requirements for reunification, and start[] to shift solely to the reasonable efforts for the adult DD guardianship.” The court granted that relief and directed that prior orders remain in full force and effect while the guardianship and placement work continues.

Caseworkers and attorneys described two obstacles to filing a guardianship: (1) obtaining the required psychological evaluation (referred to in the hearing as a “6‑12 evaluation”) and (2) identifying and filing on behalf of a prospective guardian. Young testified many local assessors do not perform adult‑guardianship evaluations or have wait lists that can extend up to a year. Young also said the agency has not identified a suitable family guardian and has been coordinating with a “courtesy worker” in the county where Britney resides to determine where to file the petition.

Attorneys and the court discussed medical decision‑making gaps because Britney is 18 and parents cannot make medical decisions without guardianship or an emergency court order. McFarland asked the court what would occur in a Sunday evening medical emergency; Young acknowledged there was nothing in place and that the court might need to authorize emergency decision‑making authority for on‑site staff if necessary. The hearing record indicates the court will include language in its order to clarify responsibilities for Britney's medical care while she remains at the residential program.

Parents continue to have contact through the provider. Young reported the father, Richard Shea, has maintained virtual visits and some in‑person visits but has been difficult to reach at times; the mother has had intermittent contact constrained by transportation and work. Ariel Berger, counsel for the mother, and Michael Brooks, counsel for the father, both indicated they do not object to discontinuing reunification efforts provided parental access through Wedgwood is preserved.

The court emphasized the primary goal is an appropriate adult guardianship and ongoing residential supports. The court directed agency staff to continue efforts to secure the psychological evaluation, to identify a guardian, and to coordinate with Wedgwood on transition planning. A follow‑up review hearing was set for May 6 at 9:00 a.m. The court also admitted the department's January report into evidence and noted a separate Wedgwood report had been filed and should be re‑sent to the clerk for the record.

Notes: The transcript contains a variant spelling for the mother's name (introduced once as “April Majay” and elsewhere referenced as April Shea); the hearing record used the child’s first name, Britney. The court repeatedly referred to the end of its jurisdiction when the individual turns 19; the hearing record treats that as a timeline constraint for completing guardianship steps.